Tanglewood — 2026/08/01-02

Tonight we can hear "The Marriage of Figaro," and tomorrow a more conventional concert featuring Joshua Bell, a symphony, and a new work, not in that order.

Saturday August 1, 2026

First, here's WCRB's take on this evening's concert: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-25/mozarts-the-marriage-of-figaro-at-tanglewood

Saturday, August 1, 2026
8:00 PM

Mozart’s opera “The Marriage of Figaro” comes to life at the Shed, starring Nikola Hillebrand, Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Emily D’Angelo, Michael Sumuel, and Joshua Hopkins. Enjoy Mozart’s “upstairs, downstairs” intrigue, disguises, crazy plot lines, and, most of all, his spirited and seductive music performed by the Boston Symphony and the Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Fellows.

Andris Nelsons, conductor 
Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, soprano (Countess) 
Nikola Hillebrand, soprano (Susanna) 
Emily D’Angelo, mezzo-soprano (Cherubino) 
Joshua Hopkins, baritone (Count) 
Michael Sumuel, baritone (Figaro) 
Eden Bartholomew, soprano (Barbarina)
Elizabeth Bishop, mezzo-soprano (Marcellina) 
Joshua Sanders, tenor (Don Curzio) 
Rodell Rosel, tenor (Don Basilio)
Patrick Carfizzi, baritone (Doctor Bartolo) 
Dean Murphy, baritone (Antonio) 
Tanglewood Music Center Vocal Fellows
James Darrah Black, director

W.A. MOZART The Marriage of Figaro

You can go to this page on the BSO website https://www.bso.org/events/august-1-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-08-01-20:00 for links to performer bios and program notes.

The music is beautiful even apart from the details of the story line, so even without the surtitles, it should make for enjoyable listening, possibly enhanced by followimg the plot synopsis in the program notes.

Sunday August 2, 2026

Again we turn to WCRB for a brief overview of the program: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-25/joshua-bell-and-bruchs-scottish-fantasy-at-tanglewood

Sunday, August 2, 2026
7:00 PM

In a program that expresses three distinct musical visions of sweeping landscapes, Andris Nelsons leads the BSO in Robert Schumann’s “Rhenish” Symphony, a hymn to the beauty of the Rhineland, as well as Sarah Kirkland Snider’s Marmoris, which was inspired by the sea and oceanic movement. Longtime BSO-collaborator Joshua Bell returns to Tanglewood as the violin soloist in Max Bruch’s virtuosic Scottish Fantasy.

Andris Nelsons, conductor 
Joshua Bell, violin 

Sarah Kirkland SNIDER Marmoris
Max BRUCH Scottish Fantasy
Robert SCHUMANN Symphony No. 3, Rhenish

The BSO page with links (the arrows) to performer bios and program notes is here. https://www.bso.org/events/august-2-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-08-02-14:30

I can't vouch for the Snider piece, but the other two are enjoyable staples of the repertory, abd, as you know, Joshua Bell is a great violinist.

We get the afternoon concert in a delayed transmission at 7:00 p.m., Boston Time.

Enjoy both.

Tanglewood — 2026/07/31

 https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-25/beethovens-emperor-at-tanglewood-with-bronfman-and-salonen

Friday, July 31, 2026
8:00 PM

Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the Boston Symphony in the passionate Prelude and Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde andSibelius’s Symphony No. 7, as well as Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 with soloist Yefim Bronfman.

Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor 
Yefim Bronfman, piano 

Richard WAGNER Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
Jean SIBELIUS Symphony No. 7
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5, Emperor

And here's the BSO page: https://www.bso.org/events/july-31-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-07-31-20:00

Don't miss it!

Tanglewood — 2026/07/26

 Today's concert concludes the Mozart/Tchaikovsky weekend.

WCRB gives us the basic information: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-25/mozart-and-tchaikovsky-at-tanglewood-part-3-part-3

Sunday, July 26, 2025
7:00 PM

In the final part of a three-concert series led by Andris Nelsons pairing works by Mozart and Tchaikovsky, Himari makes her BSO and Tanglewood debuts in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 1. The program begins with the Festival of Contemporary Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Gambit, and culminates with Tchaikovsky’s blazingly triumphant Symphony No. 5.

Andris Nelsons, conductor 
Himari, violin 

Esa-Pekka SALONEN Gambit
W.A. MOZART Violin Concerto No. 1
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 5

And here's the BSO page for links to performer bios and program notes: https://www.bso.org/events/july-26-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-07-26-14:30

Unfortunately, there is apparently no program note for the Salonen piece. We'll just have to be surprised — in a good way, I hope.

I suggest listening in.

Tanglewood — 2026/07/25

 This weekend we hear Mozart and his "biggest fan," Tchaikovsky. Here's WCRB's synopsis of this evening's concert: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-25/mozart-and-tchaikovsky-at-tanglewood-with-paul-lewis-part-2

Saturday, July 25, 2026
8:00 PM

As part of his “Mozart+” world tour, in the second of a three-concert series led by BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons pairing music by Mozart and Tchaikovsky, Paul Lewis is the soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 27, the composer’s final work of that type. Then, Nelsons conducts Tchaikovsky’sSymphony No. 4, a work that features all the hallmarks and duality of Tchaikovsky—brilliant orchestration, gorgeous melodies, heartfelt romanticism, reverence for Mozart’s classicism, and Russian folk song.

Andris Nelsons, conductor 
Paul Lewis, piano 

W.A. MOZART Piano Concerto No. 27, K.595
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 4

The BSO has links to performer bios and program notes here: https://www.bso.org/events/july-25-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-07-25-20:00

There doesn't appear to be a program note for the Mozart concerto. It's his last in the genre and my favorite, elegant and tuneful, When we got a record player it was the first thing I played, and I've loved it ever since.

Don't miss it.

Tanglewood — 2026/07/19

 Today's conceert should be a good on. WCRB gives us the basics: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-25/trifonov-the-bso-and-shostakovich-at-tanglewood

Sunday, July 19, 2026
7:00 PM

Music Director Andris Nelsons leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in two masterpieces of the symphonic form, beginning with Haydn’s Symphony No. 22 and ending with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2. In between, Daniil Trifonov is the soloist in Shostakovich’s rollicking First Piano Concerto, with BSO Principal Trumpet Thomas Rolfs.

Andris Nelsons, conductor 
Daniil Trifonov, piano 
Thomas Rolfs, trumpet 

Joseph HAYDN Symphony No. 22, The Philosopher
Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 1
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2

Haydn's Symphony No. 22 is a favorite of mine. Perhaps the feeling of repose at the beginning seems to characterize the mindseet of a philosopher. At any rate, I like it.

 The BSO page gives us access to performer bios and program notes via the arrows. : https://www.bso.org/events/july-19-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-07-19-14:30

The Serge and Olga Koussevitzky Memorial Concert

Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, conductor Daniil Trifonov, piano Thomas Rolfs, trumpet HAYDN Symphony No. 22, The Philosopher  SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Concerto No. 1  BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 2  

I'm definitely looking forward to this one. 

Tanglewood — 2026/07/18

 

 This evening the guest conductor brings mostly his own compositions. Per WCRB: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-25/hisaishis-bso-debut-at-tanglewood

Saturday, July 18, 2026
8:00 PM

Japanese composer, conductor, and pianist Joe Hisaishi – known for scoring Studio Ghibli films – makes his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut at Tanglewood, conducting his own compositions as well as Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G with soloist Jean-Yves Thibaudet.

Joe Hisaishi, conductor 
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano 
Meredith Wohlgemuth, soprano

Joe HISAISHI Adagio for strings and harps
Maurice RAVEL Piano Concerto in G
HISAISHI DA·MA·SHI·E
HISAISHI Symphonic Suite from Princess Mononoke

The BSO gives this on their page: https://www.bso.org/events/july-18-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-07-18-20:00

Boston Symphony Orchestra Joe Hisaishi, conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano Meredith Wohlgemuth, sopranoJoe HISAISHI Adagio for 2 harps and strings  RAVEL Piano Concerto in G  Joe HISAISHI DA·MA·SHI·E  Joe HISAISHI Symphonic Suite from Princess Mononoke  

The arrows on the page lead to performer bios and program notes which could aid our listening. Still, I don't really know what to expect. It should be interesting.

Tanglewood — 2026/07/10

 Thie BSO played a concert at Tanglewood on July 5. This wweekend WCRB resumes their customary broadcasts of weekend concerts on Friday and Saturday virtuallt live and Sunday recorded in the afternoon to be broadcast a 7:00 p.m.Here's how they synopsize this evening's performance: 

https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-03-24/seong-jin-cho-the-bso-and-the-opening-weekend-of-tanglewood

Friday, July 10, 2026
8:00 PM

Music by Tchaikovsky begins the first full weekend of Boston Symphony performances at Tanglewood, including the First Piano Concerto with soloist Seong-Jin Cho and selections from Swan Lake — all led by Andris Nelsons.

Andris Nelsons, conductor 
Seong-Jin Cho, piano 

All-Tchaikovsky program
Piano Concerto No. 1
Excerpts from Swan Lake

It takes some doing to find the BSO's own description of the event. You have to goto their homepage, choose "Tickets and Events," select the date of the concertsm and then click on the "Learn More" button.When you do that forJuly 10, 2026, tou end up here: https://www.bso.org/events/july-10-boston-symphony-orch?performance=2026-07-10-20:00

The Catherine and Paul Buttenwieser Concert

Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, conductor Seong-Jin Cho, piano Boston Ballet Viktorina Kapitonova, dancer Patrick Yocum, dancer Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director, Boston Ballet TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1  TCHAIKOVSKY Excerpts from Swan Lake  

The arrows get you to performer bios and program notes. Although the concerto is pretty familiar, the note gives some interesting background information.

I had written about all three of this weekend's concerts, but when I went to copy it, the post disappeared. I'll try to post about Saturday and Sunday tomorrow. Meanwhile, enjoy this performance.

BSO — 2026/05/02

 This evening's concert is the last of the season. WCRB gives us the basics; https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2026-01-08/slobodeniouk-and-beethovens-ninth-with-the-bso-and-tfc

Saturday, May 2, 2026
8:00 PM

1. For the final concert of the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s 2025-2026 season, Dima Slobodeniouk conducts the BSO and Tanglewood Festival Chorus in John Adams’ spaciously pulsating Harmonium and, with four stellar soloists, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and its “Ode to Joy.”.

   Dima Slobodeniouk, conductor
   Andrea Carroll, soprano 
   Zoie Reams, mezzo-soprano 
   Andrew Haji, tenor 
   Morris Robinson, bass 
   Tanglewood Festival Chorus 
   Jean-Sébastien Vallée, guest choral conductor

   John ADAMS Harmonium
   Ludwig van BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9

The BSO performance detail page https://www.bso.org/events/apr-30-may-3-adams-beethoven?performance=2026-05-02-20:00 gives access to performer bios as well as program notes when you click on the arrows next to the names of the performers or the pieces. There we also read the following:

Boston Symphony Orchestra Dima Slobodeniouk, conductor Andrea Carroll, soprano Zoie Reams, mezzo-soprano Andrew Haji, tenor Morris Robinson, bass Tanglewood Festival Chorus Jean-Sébastien Vallée, guest choral conductorJohn ADAMS Harmonium       intermissionBEETHOVEN Symphony No. 9*  

*Performed in German with English supertitles

Returning for his second BSO program this season, Dima Slobodeniouk leads one of the American composer John Adams’ first major works, Harmonium for chorus and orchestra. Written in 1981 for the San Francisco Symphony, this grand, half-hour work sets a poem by John Donne and two by Emily Dickinson in gradually unfolding, majestic textures. With its slowly evolving harmonic fields and rhythmic energy, Harmonium marked the future Pulitzer Prize winner and composer of the operas Doctor Atomic and Nixon in China as an important and original voice in American music. Beethoven's larger-than-life, ecstatic Symphony No. 9 closes the season. 

I suppose we all know what to expect with the Beethoven, but the Adams will be new to me, so I found the program note worth reading.

The review in the Intelligencer is very descriptive. https://classical-scene.com/2026/05/01/brisk-symphony/

I recommend listening.